Navalny gets human rights award, dedicates it to political prisoners in Russia and Belarus

Alexei Navalny, who is currently serving a jail term at a desolate, strictly controlled prison camp in northeast Russia, received a prestigious Human Rights Award on June 8. The staunch Putin critic was bestowed with the Moral Courage Award by the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, which in his absence, was received by his 20-year-old daughter Daria Navalnya. While giving a speech at the occasion, she said that he father had instructed her to dedicate the award to “every single political prisoner in Russia and Belarus.”

'They are not alone' 

Speaking virtually from the US, the Stanford University student put forward Navalny’s words highlighting that most of the political prisoners in both the erstwhile Soviet States were in “much worse conditions” than her father as they are not as “well known as he is". "They should know that they are not alone or forgotten about,” the 20-year-old said quoting a letter from her jailed father. She described herself "as a proud daughter and as a Russian citizen, concerned about the fast downfall of democracy in my country." 

Meanwhile, Navalny has accused his prison officials of censoring his newspapers by cutting out articles. During the court appearance on Wednesday via video link, the Russian opposition leader also listed out several other complaints with the prison where he is being held. The accusations including the authorities withholding a book from Navalny and waking him up at the night.

As per The Associated Press, the jailed opposition leader participated in a preliminary court session on his lawsuit against IK-2 (Corrective Colony No. 2), that according to him failed to supply books of his choice. Furthermore, he also expressed his willingness to walk back on his lawsuit if the prison ends its practice of cutting out articles. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s staunch critic is presently serving a two and a half year of jail term for parole violations. However, Navalny calls them trumped-up charges.

Image: AP